Saturday, March 5, 2011
The History of Our Schools: Waterville School
Waterville
The School Committee in 1877 consisted of S. Chapin, J. F. Shurtleff, and W. H. Southworth. In their report of that year they state, "The house for School No. 2, Waterville we think needs to be repaired by 'substituion'; that is, the old house should be removed and a new one substituted for it. The old house if repaired will need new shingles, plastering, floor, doors, windows and window frames, and when that is done it will leave a schoolroom only seven and two-thirds feet high, (or rather low) having been built at different times, and not well adapted for school purposes. We commend this subject to the immediate attention of the town, as the present house must be repaired or a new one erected before another Winter."
At the annual town meeting a committee was chosen to examine school house No. 2 and report at the adjournment in April. This committee reported in favor of repairing the old house, and were instructed to expend for that purpose a sum not exceeding three hundred and fifty dollars. After commencing the work it was the opinion of the committee that the house would prove inadequate to the wants of the school, and a town meeting was called, at which the action of the former meeting was rescinded and the school committee was instructed to erect a new house. The materials already bought by the repair committee were turned over to the School Committee as shown by the cost of construction report.
Amount appropriated, $1,200.00
Paid Jas. P. Sparrow [builder], as per contract $800.00
For desks and furniture 102.90
For freight and carting furniture 4.36
J. Chandler, underpinning 12.65
G. H. Doane, stove and pipe 10.18
C. C. Tinkham, moving old house 14.00
L. W. Savery, grading 16.78
7M shingles rec'd from repairing committee 31.50
Total $992.31
Jas. P. Sparrow, was also paid for shingling outbuildings and removing old furniture to the village, $12.80.
Received of J. P. Sparrow, for doors and windows purchased by repairing committee, $10.10.
Four years later we find the following comment, "This district is much better provided for than No. 1 (Soule). The house, having forty sittings, was quite recently built at an expense of about $800.00, upon a spacious lot, which within the present year has been better graded, at an expense of $20. he members of the district have manifested a commendable pride in their new building and have spared no pains to make it pleasant inside as well as out. They have furnished an expensive clock, good curtains, many wall ornaments, and quite recently, a new settee. With such good care and special attention, there is now wanting nothing inside or outside to make this one of the pleasantest schoolhouses in town."
Among the names of teachers who served in this school we find many who have or are serving in the Central schools. he list of those who have taught in the present building are:
1877
Mary F. Hagan
1878
Mary F. Hagan
Abbie A. Gurney
1879
Abbie A. Gurney
Emma F. Darling
1880
Emma F. Darling
Harriet F. Hart
1881
E. Abbie Ward
1882
E. Abbie Ward
1883
E. Abbie Ward
Lillie H. Thornton
1884
Mary H. Blackman
Cora P. Lobdell
1885
Cora P. Lobdell
Elizabeth Ahern
Harriett Bartlett
1886
Harriett Bartlett
Mary B. Richards
Lucia F. Keith
1887
Lucia F. Keith
Lillie H. Thornton
1888
Lillie H.Thornton
Carrie E. Alden
1889
Carrie E. Alden
Lizzie H. Drew
1890
Lizzie H. Drew
1891
Lizzie H. Drew
Fannie C. Stetson
1892
Fannie C. Stetson
Eleanor A. Barden
1893
Eleanor A. Barden
Florence L. Jefferson
1894
Florence L. Jefferson
Lydia E. Holmes
A. Belle Tenney
1895
A. Belle Tenney
Carolyn H. Parker
1896
Carolyn H. Parker
1897
Delia R. Kingman
Mattie M. Bennett
1898
Mattie M. Bennett
1899
Mattie M. Bennett
C. Florence Hathaway
1900
C. Florence Hathaway
1901
Lizzie Wade
A. Delle Alden
1902
Millie F. Caswell
Bessie B. Bailey
1903
Bessie B. Bailey
1904
Bessie B. Bailey
1905
Bessie B. Bailey
1906
Christina Pratt
1907
Christina Pratt
1908
Belle Prescott
Clara B. Cushing
Mary E. King
1909
Clara B. Cushing
Elsie Landgrebe
1910
Erna L. Cornish
1911
Marion F. Dunham
Alta E. Battles
1912
Maude DeMaranville
1913
Maude DeMaranville
1914
Maude DeMaranville
1915
Maude DeMaranville
Abby S. Westgate
1916
Abby S. Westgate
1917
Abby S. Westgate
1918
Abby S. Westgate
G. A. Murphy
1919
G. A. Murphy
1920
Gertrude L. Robbins
1921 Elena Manley
1922
Elena Manley
1923
Elena Manley
1924
Elena Manley
1925
Bernice C. Shaw
1926
Bernice C. Shaw
1927
Bernice C. Shaw
1928
Bernice C. Shaw
1929
Bernice C. Shaw
1930
Bernice C. Shaw
1931
Bernice C. Shaw
1932
Bernice C. Shaw
Helen K. Fagan
This school at the present time [1933] houses only the fifth and sixth grade pupils of the East Middleboro section of the town and has an enrollment of about twenty pupils. The building is however located upon a dangerous corner with present day traffic and as soon as possible the playground should be fenced for the safety of the pupils there.
The corner mentioned in the above history by Mr. Cushing was the corner of Carmel and Plymouth Streets which then together comprised part of Route 44 between Middleborough and Plymouth which passed along Plympton Street to Eddyville, south on Carmel Street to Waterville, thence eastwards along Plymouth Street to North Carver. Given the increasing volume of auto traffic which used the route, Cushing's concerns were justified.
The Waterville School remained in use for educational purposes through the May, 1944, and was during that period also used for a number of other purposes including mid-week services by the First Congregational Church which also made similar use of the Soule School on Winter Street.
"Owing to the small number enrolled in the Waterville School that building was not opened in September [1944]." By vote of the town meeting the Middleborough Board of Selectmen was empowered to sell the Waterville School property, doing so on June 10, 1946, when the schoolhouse and lot were purchased b Dean B. and Barbara E. Jennings and converted into a residence. The Waterville Schoolhouse may still be seen in its original location.
The roll of teachers following the period covered by Cushing's history is as follows:
1933
Helen K. Fagan
1934
Leah M. Boutin
1935
Elsie LeBlanc
1936
Elsie LeBlanc
1937
Elsie LeBlanc
1938
Bernice C. Shaw
1939
Bernice C. Shaw
1940
Elsie LeBlanc
1941
Elsie LeBlanc
1942
Elsie LeBlanc
1943
Elsie LeBlanc
1944
Elsie LeBlanc
Sources:
Cushing, J. Stearns. "The History of Our Schools: Forest Street School". Photostatic copy of original manuscript, 1932-33. Author's collection.
Middleborough Town Reports, 1932-44
Plymouth County Registry of Deeds, Book 1920, Page 424.
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